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WKU News

Sponsors Needed for Mammoth Cave Exhibit

Kentucky’s most well-known landscape—Mammoth Cave—is under threat, and the Kentucky Museum is partnering with WKU’s Department of Geology & Geography, Crawford Hydrology Lab, and the WKU Art Department to bring attention to how arts and science collaborations help save it.

In 2020, the Kentucky Museum will open Gazing Deeply: The Art and Science of Mammoth Cave, an exhibition that showcases how WKU’s backyard—the unique landscape of Mammoth Cave—is being studied, interpreted, and inspiring action on environmental change. The exhibition will coincide with the UNESCO Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources: A Workshop on Sustainability and Community hosted at WKU in May 2020 and the 50thanniversary of Earth Day.

The exhibition will tell a story about the work of scientists and artists in connection to Mammoth Cave. This story brings the vital connection between arts and sciences together to showcase how each is, independently and collaboratively, creative human endeavors that help us better understand and protect our world.

“When we met to discuss this project, we decided to start by asking the basic questions,” said Tiffany Isselhardt, the exhibit’s supervising curator and Development and Marketing Director at the Kentucky Museum. “What do scientists and artists do? Why are both the arts and sciences vital to a well-rounded education? How do these creative human endeavors inspire us to act in support of our home planet? It’s funny how so many students—let alone adults—can’t answer those questions. So this exhibit is an effort to address those, to show that the arts and sciences can and do work together towards common goals.”

The exhibition is co-curated by Dr. Chris Groves, University Distinguished Professor of Hydrogeology, and Julie Schuck, artist and instructor at WKU’s Department of Art. It will feature projects from faculty and students conducting research in the caves, as well as artistic illustrations and interpretations of that work by Schuck and her students. Opening in February 2020, the exhibit will also feature programs to engage the campus and community with WKU’s long history of studying, and how our community can help save combat the threats facing, Mammoth Cave.

The biggest of these is White-Nose Syndrome, which has killed 95% of the bat population in the last four years. Showcasing the issue head-on, the Kentucky Museum plans to develop a “bat cave” so viewers can interactively learn about Mammoth Cave’s bats and how to help the population recover from the brink of extinction.

“By collaborating, we not only enhance our understanding of environmental change—we can work to save the landscapes we love, like Mammoth Cave,” said Isselhardt. “But to make this dream a reality, we need our community to help fund the exhibition and its programs. We’re seeking sponsors and individual donors who share our dream of inspiring our community to preserving Mammoth Cave for generations to come.”

Now in our 80th year, the Kentucky Museum celebrates all aspects of South-Central Kentucky’s art, history, and culture. “Kentuckians need to know Kentucky” was the museum’s earliest conceptual framework, which took shape in the eyes of WKU’s founding president Henry Hardin Cherry. Today, we are a steadfast educational campus partner helping to inspire innovation, elevate community, and transform the lives of our students and the community.

About WKU Department of Geology and the Crawford Hydrology Lab

The WKU Department of Geology offers programs that put students at the forefront for tackling global challenges like climate change and sustainable energy. With multi-discipline faculty, their programs focus on holistic and muti-faceted research, applied learning with local and international companies, and state-of-the-art analytical and computational labs, including the Crawford Hydrology Laboratory. Students can obtain degrees in Geology, Earth Science, and Geoscience at the Bachelor’s or Master’s levels.

Crawford Hydrology Laboratory provides professional consulting and field and laboratory services regarding groundwater tracing in karst and non-karst areas. They specialize in groundwater investigations with the use of fluorescent dyes and utilize techniques developed and enhanced over the past 38 years. They also provide quality supplies and analyses for groundwater traces and conduct full field investigations. Crawford Hydrology Laboratory has extensive experience conducting dye trace investigations for commercial clients as well as government agencies.

About WKU Department of Art

The WKU Department of Art offers paths to explore, experience, and expand the possibilities of artistic expression, an indispensable part of human society. With programs that vary in length and concentration, the WKU Department of Art supports and challenges students along a variety of life-enriching paths. The BFA degree in studio art or graphic design is a comprehensive, focused program for students interested in pursuing a professional creative career. Our range of BA programs in art education, art history, and studio art introduce our students to a variety of career paths that benefit from studies in the visual arts.